Michael Johnson

Four-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter Michael Johnson has been quoted as saying he believes slave descendants make superior athletes -- and that such a controversial topic shouldn't be avoided but discussed openly as the world begins to turn its attention to the London Olympics. "All my life I believed I became an athlete through my own determination, but it's impossible to think that being descended from slaves hasn't left an imprint through the generations," he is quoted as saying in an article in the British newspaper the Daily Mail.

With investors punishing his company's stock for a third consecutive day, the top executive of Herbalife Ltd. sought to reassure shareholders Friday that his company is not a pyramid scheme. Working from the firm's tony headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, Herbalife chief Michael Johnson telephoned institutional investors, including fund managers at Fidelity, disputing highly publicized criticism from prominent New York hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. Johnson also assembled a team of about a dozen top company officials to prepare a point-by-point defense against Ackman's assertions that Herbalife is a "sophisticated pyramid scheme" whose independent sales associates make more money recruiting new distributors than actually selling products.

Michael Johnson completed the first part of his quest for a golden Olympic double, winning the 400 meters in an Olympic-record 43.49 seconds Monday night in Atlanta but falling short of his bid for a world record. Johnson, who also is favored to win the 200, is trying to become the first man to win both races in an Olympics. Butch Reynolds holds the world record of 43.29 seconds. Another American named Johnson, Allen, plowed through the 110-meter hurdles in an Olympic record of 12.95 seconds.

Four-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter Michael Johnson has been quoted as saying he believes slave descendants make superior athletes -- and that such a controversial topic shouldn't be avoided but discussed openly as the world begins to turn its attention to the London Olympics. "All my life I believed I became an athlete through my own determination, but it's impossible to think that being descended from slaves hasn't left an imprint through the generations," he is quoted as saying in an article in the British newspaper the Daily Mail.

Michael Johnson won the 400 meters in 44.32 seconds, matching the fastest time in the world this year, in the Pan Africa-USA meet Saturday at Durham, N.C. Johnson, who in 1990 became the only athlete ever to be ranked No. 1 in the world in both the 200 and 400, extended his winning streak in the 400 to 35, having not lost since 1990. Johnson, running in his first 400 of the season, turned in the top performance of the second day of the two-day meet.

World champion Michael Johnson of the United States won the 200 meters in 19.98 seconds at a track meet at Rieti, Italy, Friday, in the fastest time in the world this year. Johnson had a strong start and held a lead of several meters over Robson da Silva of Brazil midway through the race, coasting to an easy victory. Da Silva was a distant second at 20.76. Former world record-holder Leroy Burrell lost to fellow Americans Andre Cason and Mike Marsh in the men's 100 with a time of 10.18.

Namibia's Frankie Fredericks outran Michael Johnson and Linford Christie at the wire to take the 200 meters Tuesday at the Golden Gala, an IAAF Grand Prix Track meet. Fredericks defeated his better known competitors in 20.23 seconds. Johnson, the American rated first in the world at 200 meters, and Christie of Britain, were next both with times of 20.25. Christie came back to take the men's 100, but in a relatively slow time of 10.11. Jamaica's Reynold Stewart was second at 10.

On the eve of today's 400-meter final, favored Michael Johnson traded good-natured barbs at a news conference with two other U.S. finalists, Butch Reynolds and Darnell Hall. "They're a welcome change from my competition in the 200," said Johnson, attempting to become the first man in track and field's World Championships to win both events. "Most of the competitors in the 200 like to play little mind games or whatever."

Entering the 400-meter final in the USA/Mobil Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field Saturday, world record-holder Butch Reynolds surveyed the field, which also included the reigning Olympic and world champions and a runner who twice was ranked No. 1 in the world, and declared it X-rated. "This is a man's race," he said. "The boys must stay home." Michael Johnson knew the category in which he belonged, but he did not know whether the other quarter-milers knew.

hael Johnson ran the fastest 200 meters in the world this year, clocking 20.02 seconds Sunday in the first Grand Prix track and field meet of the season. Johnson's time beat the previous best this year of 20.20 by Jimmy French run May 11 in Fayetteville, Fla. "I hope to establish a new record later this year. I am convinced I can do it," said Johnson, ranked No. 1 in the world in the 200 and 400. The record in the 200 is 19.72 by Italy's Pietro Mennea.

A planned stage adaptation of Michael Jackson's 1983 "Thriller" music video is in limbo after the pop star's untimely death. In January, The Times reported that the Nederlander Organization acquired the rights to produce a musical version of "Thriller" with the intention of involving Jackson in "every aspect of the creative process." The stage adaptation was to include songs from two of his albums, 1982's "Thriller" and 1979's "Off the Wall." Now plans for the show appear to be up in the air. "We just don't know what's going to happen, and that's all we're saying for now," said a spokesman for Nederlander in New York.

BEIJING -- It sounds so simple. The Big Man hambones the final 20 meters in Saturday's Olympic 100-meter final and still covers the distance in 9.69 seconds, breaking the world record he set this season. The Big Man began running the 100 only this year and has much more experience in -- and a greater passion for -- the 200. So the Big Man will take down the record in the long sprint, the 19.32 that remains otherworldly 12 years after Michael Johnson set it in the 1996 Olympic final.

Debra Johnson was poor, skinny, asthmatic, addicted to crack cocaine and spent her days pushing a shopping cart. She had a record of petty, narcotic-related crimes. In short, she wasn't the type of person usually associated with heroism. But when Johnson was asked to risk her life for a civic duty, she did what most witnesses of gang homicides in South Los Angeles don't: She testified. She did so even though the killers had done their best to silence her.

Kerri Strug was the courageous gymnast with the golden vault. Michael Johnson was the record-breaking sprinter with the golden shoes. Ten years ago, they were among the most celebrated U.S. athletes of the Atlanta Olympics, their glory captured on magazine covers, Wheaties boxes and newscasts. "Often times it seems like another life," Strug said. "At the same time it seems like only yesterday." Much can change in a decade. Strug now works for the Department of Justice in Washington.

As aspiring filmmaker Michael Johnson began shooting his first film, "The Black-Hooded Ninja," he hit a production snag. He didn't own anything with a black hood. The movie's title would have to be changed to "The Blue-Hooded Ninja." But Michael plugged on, directing choreographed fight scenes with his sister and a friend, and using ketchup to imitate bloodstains on his T-shirt while his father caught the action on the home video camera.

"I'll never forget the sun setting behind the mountains as we made camp," says Linus Morris of Pacific Palisades about the photo below, taken in the Olympic Mountains in Washington. "We were overwhelmed by the pristine beauty." From left: Michael Johnson of Woodenville, Wash., Jeff Keller of Steamboat Springs, Colo., Morris, and Kristie Robson of Westmount, Quebec.

When Michael Raymond Johnson fatally shot Deputy Peter J. Aguirre in July 1996 he robbed a wife of her husband, a mother of her son and a little girl of her father. And for that, prosecutors argued Wednesday, he deserves to die. "That day changed many lives," Deputy Dist. Atty. Maeve Fox told the jury. "It changed the lives of his parents, his family and his fellow officers. . . . [Johnson] took away their hope, their love, their life.

With investors punishing his company's stock for a third consecutive day, the top executive of Herbalife Ltd. sought to reassure shareholders Friday that his company is not a pyramid scheme. Working from the firm's tony headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, Herbalife chief Michael Johnson telephoned institutional investors, including fund managers at Fidelity, disputing highly publicized criticism from prominent New York hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. Johnson also assembled a team of about a dozen top company officials to prepare a point-by-point defense against Ackman's assertions that Herbalife is a "sophisticated pyramid scheme" whose independent sales associates make more money recruiting new distributors than actually selling products.

It's not the most glamorous job, but Michael Johnson is fine serving as the Murrieta Valley team manager, carrying the bats, balls and helmets and hitting a few fungoes to the outfield when called upon. It might be tough for some former players to be relegated to such duty, but not Johnson. Last August, he spent 10 days in a coma after a motorcycle accident sent him crashing headfirst into a wood pillar in front of his house.

He loved basketball, he loved acting, he loved to draw -- and he loved helping people. Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Vann Johnson Jr., a Navy hospital corpsman, died Tuesday while tending to wounded troops in Iraq, his family said Thursday. Johnson, who was serving with the 1st Marine Division, would have celebrated his 26th birthday on Monday. He had been assigned to the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. "He never understood why anyone would mistreat anyone else. He had a big heart.